Train signal system



Sept. 9, 1924.

D. H. WILSQN TRAIN SIGNAL .SYSTEM Filed Sept.

ATTORNEYS v Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.I

nAvID H. WILSoN,or WORTENDYKE., NEW JERSEY; E. PAULINE WILSON ADMINIS-1 TRATRIX or SAID DAVID I-I. WILSON, DEGEASED.y f

TRAIN SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Appncanon inetd september 2,1920. serial No. 407,635.

T o all whom t may concer-n.:

Be it known that I, DAVID I-I. vWILSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of IVortendyke, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train Signal Systems, ofwhich thefollowing is a specification. Q

This invention relates to train signal sys# tems and particularly to improvements in means for electrically connecting one end of the train to the other. My invention is herein disclosed as applied to a signaling system in which the air pipes and air hose of the air brake system act as carriers for the electrical conductors.

One object of my invention is to provide l a system which may be applied to standard air brakes and couplings now in'universal use upon railways.

Another object of my invention is to`provide an improved system in which the electrical circuit between adjacent cars is automatically completed at the saine time that the air hose between said cars are coupled together. In previous train signal'systems where it has been desired to provide means to signal from one end of the car to the other, electrical conductors or wires have commonly been strung along beneath the car or attached or coiled above the air pipe lin various ways. Complicated Switches, terminals and other special mechanism'have always been provided on theoutside of the air con? duits, to electricallyconnect the conductors at the joints between the cars of the train. A further object of this invention is to eliminate all exposed switches, terminals and structures liable to be easily broken,

Yand to. completely protect the wires and connections so that theyc'annotv get outof order by 'accident or on account ofthe eX- t-remely rough usage toy which they naturally would be subjected. Y

Other objects `will appear hereinafterin the following description and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings `in which:

. Figurelis a view Inside elevation of the rear portion ofl a freight train showing, my

invention in `use thereon., l Y j Figure 2 is av bottom view partly 1n section of. one of the box cars offthe train showing the construction and location of the air pipe. l

Figure 3 is av view partly in section showing a portion ofthe air pipe and couplings at the end ofthe car.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates `a vbox car of a freight train towhich thelcaboose 2 may beV connected'by the usual car coupling as shown. The-.tele-k phone 3 or other Signal instrument may Vbe f located in the caboose in any convenient Upo- 5 connected therewith.

The wire@L may be connected to the truck sition and may have insulated wires 1 and with the rails, while the opposite wire 5' is attached to the air pipe 6 kof said caboose at a point near the end thereof where the pipe is insulated from the rest of the caras will be hereinafter described. A similar air pipe 8 is located beneath' each of the-box cars of the freight train. Upon the forward end of the pipe 6 and at both ends yof the pipes 8, angle cocks 13 are provided leading to the air hose couplings. A

Each air pipeexcept. that on the caboosey carries in its `interior an electrically insulated conducting wire 14, said wire being secured to the pipe in any suitable manner, as

by welding to the Short end sections 15.` The end sections 15 may be attached to the bottom of the car in any suitable manner in this instanceV bythe brackets 11,` integral with the end of the pipe and carrying suitable insulated sleeves to prevent flow of current from the'pipe to the car through-the attaching bolts. By theuse of an integralV bracket support, the end section of the pipe is prevented from turning or twisting which might otherwise result when the anlgle cock is being attached thereto, or if lthe Vangle,` cock shouldbe accidentally struck.

If desired, Supporting straps maybe sub'- stituted for the brackets 11, insulating means being of course provided between the pipe and the car. Between the'end sections V15 and the central section l'ofV each air pipe, I interpose a Shortsection'l'?` of suitable insulating material resistant toair pressure, such as ybakelite or the 'Il ike'. In my construction prefer' to provide the vas short insulating sections 17 with interior threads to engage with corresponding eX- terior threads on the pipe sections. The short sections 17 effectively insulate the pipe terminals 15 from the middle portion 1G of each pipe. rThe middle portion 16 need not be insulated but may be supported from the bottom of the car in the usual manner. In order to electrically connect the angle cocks of adjacent cars the Wires 18 may be Welded or otherwise joined to the metallic union 20 of the air hose 23 and to the coupling member or knuckleQQ at the point 21. Y

The coupling members 2:2 are joined together in the usual manner bv interlocking the air hose sections and giving them a quarter turn. By this action the coupling members 22 are subjected to a Wedging force tending to force the halves of the coupling into close mechanical and electrical contact.

It Will thus be seen that the angle cocks on the same car are electrically insulated fromthe car andare connected only by the telephone Wire and that the main portion of train pipe under the car is insulated from vthe angle cocks. It is also evident that there are no connections or other -appa ratus to interfere with the proper functioning of the angle cocks or the coupling member and that there are no exposed parts to become injured either through ordinary use or by accident. The only exposed elements of my system are the standard air brake members which are of a size and construction to withstand the most severe treatment.

In operation the current which may be supplied from any suitable source, as by batteries in the Caboose, or a generator on the engine, flows from the telephone 3 through the Wire 5 to the end pipe section 15, the angle cock 13, the Wire 18, the coupling member 22of the caboose and thence into the adjacent coupling member 22, the Wire 18, angle cock 13, pipe section 15, and insulated Wire 141 of the box car 1, and so on throughout the entire freight train from the Caboose to the locomotive. The current then passes through a suitable signal device in the locomotive and travels back through the rail 9 through the yWheel and truck of the caboose to the Wire 4 and telephone 3.

From the kabove description it- Will be seen that I fhave provided a train signalling apparatus of a simple, efhcient, compact, durable nature, Which may be readily and cheaply installed in any of the standard air brake systems Without interfering with the action of the angle cocks or coupling membersy and Without any special equipment other than `the insulators 17.- In my improved system there are no outside attach ments or connections Whatever, all of the conductors being entirely enclosed Within the air conduits, and the electric circuit being automatically established Whenever the coupling members are connected Without any further manipulation. Hence no time is Wasted in making the electrical connections between the cars, and the danger of breaking or injuring external attachments is entirely eliminated.

I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to sending telephone messages but that itvmay also be employed' if desired, for thesending of telegraphic messages or for ringing electric bells, buzzers and the like. lVith a train fully equipped With my improved signallingl system, the conductor or brakeinan in the caboosewvill be in instant and direct communication with the locomotive and Will thus be able to transmit orders and directionsV to the engineer rapidly and Without danger. As Will be obvious my device could be applied in a similar manner to a train of standard passenger coaches by merely providing additional signal instruments, and communication could then be had between anytivo portions of the entire train.

It is obvious that various modifications 1 i may be made in the particular construction shown and described Within the general principles and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a train signalling system, the combination with a car, of a metal air pipe p rovided with live ends and an insulated middle section, means for rigidly supporting and insulating the live ends of said pipe from the car, and means for electrically connecting f for electrically connecting said end portions.

3. In a train signalling system, a metal air pipe comprisingia middle section and tvvo end sections .insulated therefrom and from the car, and means to electrically connect said end sections located Within said air pipe.

1l. In a railway car, the combination With a metal air pipe located beneath the car floor, of the usual angle cock, hose and coupling lmember at each end ofthe pipe, an insulated joint in said pipe closely adjacent each end of said pipe andthe 'angle cock and intermediate said cocks. and a conductor lying cocks. Y

5. In a train signaling system, the com- Within said Vpipe and joining said bination with a car, of a metallic air pipe associated with said car and rigidly supported thereby, said pipe comprising end portions and an intermediate section, insulating sleeves carried by said intermediate section and end portions and insulating said intermediate section from said end portions, a conductor spanning said insulating sleeves and intermediate section, said conductor being electrically connected with said end portions.

6. The combination with a railway car, of a metal pipe extending the length of said car, the end portions of said pipe being insulated from the middle or main body por-'- tion thereof, and a conductor connecting the live end portions and passing Within said middle portion of said metal pipe.

7. In a train signalling system, an electrically conductive air brake pipe carried by each car, both ends of each pipe lhaving an angle cock Valve, said angle cockvalve having an air hose and a coupling member attached thereto the middle portion of said air brakel pipe being electrically insulated from the angle cock valve and means for electrically connecting the angle cock valves of the same car, said means being contained within said middle portion of said pipe. v

S. In an electric air brake train signalling System a railway car carrying an air pipe, angle cocks on the ends of said pipe, means for electrically insulating said angle cocks from each other, and a conductor spanning said means and contacting with said cocks.

9. In an air line train signallingsystem, a metal air pipe carried on a car, angle cocks on the end of said pipe, said angle cocks being insulated from each other and from the brake rigging and means for electrically connecting said angle cocks.

10. In an air line train signalling system, a metal air pipe carried on a car, angle cocks on the end of said pipe, said angle cocks being insulated from the air brake operating means and from each other, and means for electrically connecting the angle cocks of each car to each other and to the angle cocks of the adjacent car.

11. In a train signaling system, the combination of a car, of a metallic air pipe associated with said car and `rigidly supported thereby, said pipe .comprising a middle section and two end sections insulated from the y middle section and the car, and means entirely enclosed by said middle section for electrically connecting said end sections.

12. In a train signalling-system, a metal` air pipe comprising a middle section and two relatively short sections ladjacent the ends of said pipe and insulated therefrom, means to electrically connect the end sections and means to prevent a lshort circuit between said pipe ends and the rails through the car, and an air hose connected to each of said end sections.

13. In an electric air brake train signalling system a metal air pipe carried'upon a railway car, angle cocks on each of the ends of'said pipe, an insulated coupling in said pipe juxtaposed to each of said cocks, for

electrically insulating said angle cocks from each' other, and means for completing the circuit between said cocks.

14. In a railway car, the combination with a metal air pipe located beneath the car and con having an angle cock hose, hose and coupling member at each end of the pipe, an insulated joint in said pipe closely adjacent each end of said pipe and the angle cock, and intermediate said cocks, and means for electrically connecting said cocks.

15. The combination with a railway car, of a metal pipe associated with said car and having a middle portion and end portions rigidly supported thereby, the end portions of said pipe being insulated from the middle portion thereof, and a conductor connecting said vend portions, said conductor being enclosed throughout the length of saidmiddle portion and insulated therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification. n f

DAVID H. WILSON. 

